Cities

Suzhou is located in the south-east of Jiangsu Province. The Grand Canal, which flows from Beijing to Hangzhou (the capital of Zhejiang Province), has irrigated Suzhou aiding its illustrious culture and turning it into prosperous land. It is of little surprise that Suzhou is called ''Heaven on Earth''.

Built in 541BC by He Lv, the King of Wu, 2500 year old, Suzhou is the birthplace of Wu culture. The city is bustling with historical remnants and culture, thus placing Suzhou third behind Beijing and Xi'an for its historical and cultural significance. In 1997, Suzhou caught the world's attention by having its classic gardens placed on the UNESCO list as a World Cultural Heritage site.

Suzhou is a key silk production centre in China and the embroidery school here is ranked in the "top 4" for the whole of China. The attractiveness of Suzhou is also evident in its performing arts (folk songs of Wu), Kunqu Opera and storytelling, as well as stele carving, calligraphy and painting.

Wuxi

Wuxi is in southern Jiangsu Province, some 128 kilometers away from shanghai. As the second largest city in Jiangsu province, it is a city of affluence and fascinating natural scenery. Wuxi is characterized by abundant beautiful rivers, idyllic lakes, unique-shaped caves, bamboo forests and tea gardens.

Standing by the Grand Canal, Wuxi is a significant historical city and has been an important trade center in the area for centuries. Tai lake, the largest fresh lake in china, is the highlights in Wuxi.

Wuxi has a mild and humid climate with four distinct seasons. Spring is the best time to travel. May and July are the rainy seasons. Summer is hot and the highest temperature can occasionally reach 39 centigrade during daytime. Winter is cold and it snows sometimes.

Nanjing

Known as the Capital City of Six or Ten Dynasties in China's history, Nanjing has a brilliant cultural heritage.

Nanjing, called Jinling in ancient China, is the capital of Jiangsu Province. It is situated on the vast plain of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, belonging to the northern subtropical monsoon climate zone where the four seasons are clearly demarcated.

History has left the place numerous historical sites and heritage relics. The Mausoleum of Dr. Sun-Yat-Sen, Mingxiaoling Mausoleum, Qinhuai River, the Memorial Hall to the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre, Confucius Temple, Linggu Temple, Mochou Lake, and Mount Qixia are some of the best places to visit.

Yangzhou

Yangzhou, on the other bank of Yangtze River, emerged during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C.) when Fu Chai, king of the Wu State, built his defense system. Eventually it grew into a large, population city.

The city itself is a museum of Chinese culture and a beautiful Chinese garden. Small and quite as it is, you have an easy access to all latest modern convenience here, too, while enjoying traditional heritage. Through all the ages, scholars and poets have lavishly praised Yangzhou in prose and poetry, pouring their love and yearning for this city in the most beautiful language.

For westerners, an interesting footnote to Yangzhou's history is that Marco Polo served there under the Mongol emperor Kubilai Khan, in the period around 1282-1287.

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